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A popular fan-made mockup of the Samsung Galaxy Gear

Samsung will launch their first smart watch, dubbed the Galaxy Gear, on September 4.

The rumor mill telegraphed this one all the way back in February 2012, when alleged screenshots of a minimal mobile OS emerged on a Korean message board. The screens indicated a 500x500 resolution and a black and white display, and bore the codename "Altius(J)." Flash forward to March 2013, and Lee Young Hee, executive VP of Samsung's mobile business, confirmed the development of a smart watch to Bloomberg.

Today, Lee Young Hee is back in the news via an exclusive interview with The Korea Times, stating clearly that Samsung "will be introducing a new wearable concept device called Galaxy Gear at our own event in Berlin on Sept. 4."

Their own event will precede the popular IFA consumer electronics show.

Details of the Galaxy Gear are scant, but it's a safe assumption that the wearable device will enhance the mobile experience for Samsung's Note and Galaxy phone customers. Features like S Voice and notifications are a given. Having the watch control things like voice-activated music playback and simple tasks? Probably. Bonus points if Samsung augments the S-Health features of the Galaxy S IV.

The Galaxy Gear is rumored to ship in 5 colors.

I've said before that the first company who popularizes the smart watch as an essential gadget, and not merely an expensive toy, will win this wearable tech battle. has been in trenches for several years with their SmartWatch, but its lack of iOS support has stifled is potential. 's iWatch is looming on the horizon, although a recent influx of rumors suggest that Apple's entry won't be available until 2014.

What's your opinion? What is an acceptable price tag for Samsung's Galaxy Gear? What features must it have to make it a crucial companion to other Samsung mobile devices? Sound off in the comments below.